The Blog-tember Challenge: Day 7 : Things that bring me joy

Happy Wednesday! As you're reading this post I'm either at the hospital in my appointment or have just received results for the scary tests I've had done. I have absolutely been dreading this appointment for the last month and I'm praying for good news, keep your fingers crossed for me!

Let's not beat around the bush and get straight down to why we're here today, and that's for day 7 of the Blog-tember challenge!

"Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing is every day" - Henri J.M. Nouwen

Wednesday, Sept. 7: Five things that bring you joy.

1. My partner

2. Photography.

3. Blogging.

4. Reading.

5. Travelling.

What things bring you joy?

The Blog-tember Challenge: Day 3 | Summer Favourites

Saturday, Sept. 3: Now that summer's at an end, share a list of favorites from the season!

Happy 3rd of September! Another new day means a new post as part of the Blog-tember challenge. Summer is coming to an end, and today we'll be taking a little look back at our favourites from this delightful season. 

I was up at the crack of dawn this morning, and chose to spend my time finding a couple more cute items for my Italy trip, and I also decided to have a little book haul, which was quite the success! 

This has been the greatest summer of reading for me, I've found so many authors and read so so many books! I have been absolutely loving anything by Giovanna Fletcher, especially the Billy and Me series. I've never really been one for romance novels, but I think that's something that has certainly changed this summer! OH! The Cursed Child also came out this summer, and it was absolutely amazing to be thrown back into the world of magic, it's a world I want to stay in forever. 

I've been spending a lot of time clothes shopping to ensure I have the perfect wardrobe for my trip to Rome, which means I have bought an unbearable amount of dresses. I love dresses, no matter what time of the year it is, and I've found so many beautiful ones this summer.

The butterfly filter is the best filter ever! I take most pictures of myself with this filter, and it's just so pretty, I love anything that makes me look/feel prettier than I actually am. 

BANDANAS! I imagine it's socially acceptable to wear these at any point, but I see summer as the best possible time. It's a lovely fashionable way to get your hair out of your face, and I just think they are so lovely.

I've spent a lot of time searching for the perfect foundation, and this summer I finally found it, L'Oreal's Infallible 24-hour matte foundation. Seriously, this foundation is absolutely fantastic, it works amazingly with my skin and is great in the sun, it honestly doesn't melt off my face!

Ice Cream...need I say any more? 

What have been your Summer Favourites?

August Glossybox

This is a little bit late, and I accidentally forgot to show my July box, but here's the August glossybox! This months box design was a little different that usual, this being because it was their 5th Birthday, woo! So they decided send out a limited edition box, and it's quite simple, but I like it.

So this is the boxes contents and I have to admit that I was slightly disappointed with this box, especially considering it was their 5th Birthday. I was highly anticipating beautiful make up and soft creams. This box featured 2 full size products, 1 full sized little bag? and 2 sample products. It's funny because my favourite part of this box is the MUA make up palette that I could pick up from Superdrug for just £4. However I am looking forwards to trying the Spa to you deep pore facial cleansing brush, I've had good experiences with this brand. 

MUA Eye Shadow Palette - Full Size 

RRP / £4

SHOP / muastore.co.uk

So the first product we have is an MUA make up palette, Glossybox gave us the chance to choose our own palette, I chose Hall of Fame,just because this palette has the most eyeshadow I'm likely to use. It's highly pigmented and contains 12 lovely colours, and lets be honest, you can never have too much eye shadow!

Spa to you - Full Size 

RRP / £6.99

SHOP / spatoyou.com

Next we have the Deep pore facial cleansing brush my spa to you, a brand that I do thoroughly enjoy every single time I use one of their products. The soft bristles are specially designed to help buss away dead skin cells for a deep but gentle facial cleanse. The combination of silky soft bristles and silicone cushions also help to massage the skin in order to improve microcirculation for renewed radiance. All you need to do in order to get the best results from this product is wet the bruch and apply your cleanser and then you'll be winning at life!

Mudmasky - Sample size

RRP (full size) / £53

SHOP / mudmasky.com

This month we also received a facial detox purifying recovery mask by Mudmasky. Now I'm a sucker gor a good face mask, so I am happy with this product, I would just rather have received a bigger sample, possibly a full size seeing as it was a Birthday edition. Now this is one of the first PH-balanced facial treatments, it's formulated using all-natural ingredients and contains no parabens, but still manages to fully detoxify the skin. This mask also refines and tightens pores, hydrates brightens and smooths skin and generally gives it a boost. In order to get the best results we have been told to use this one a week, so I'll be trying that starting this week, and hopefully we'll have a go to face mask!

Cowshed - Sample Size

RRP (full size) / £20

SHOP /cowshedonline.com

Now this is a product I'm yet to try and completely unsure whether I'm likely to, I really don't like the way it smells. Although I'd never judge a book by it's cover, so many I should give it a chance. This products it said to give you an energy boost due to its boosting blend of Lemongrass, Ginger, and Rosemary. It moisturises the skin with Shea and Cocoa Butters. It's made using natural ingredients and is packed full of skin-loving essential oils.

Rae Feather - Miniature size

RRP / £20

SHOP /raefeather.com

The final item we received this month is a mini monogram pochette that I can't say I'm too keen on. It just feels a little cheap, like it could fall apart at any moment. I'll probably keep a couple of things in it at home, but highly doubt I would ever use it as a make-up bag or take it out with me anywhere. 

Like you've probably guessed or I've probably mentioned in this post, I'm not really that happy about the August Glossybox. I just think it was a little disappointing considering this was their Limited Edition Birthday box. I'm looking forward to seeing what the September box is like, hopefully it will encourage me to continue with this subscriptuon

Are you subscribed to Glossbox?

Tell me what you thought of the August box!

June Glossybox

I've been interested in these monthly subscription boxes for awhile now, and I finally decided to sign up for one. After spending days upon days researching, watching more videos than I could ever remember, I finally decided to sign up for Glossybox!

Now the first thing I was blown away by was how beautiful the boxes are, it's such a lovely pastel pink, and it's so simple yet elegant.

As you can see from this picture of the boxes contents, in this months glossy box we received 5 full size products, and one bonus sample. The boxes contents were worth around £60 and I must say that it was a fantastic first box!

Ladvial - Full Size 

RRP / £19.99

SHOP / boots.com

So the first product we have is the sun protection spray by Ladvial. This product is SPF 15, which is something that really disappointed me when opening the box because I'm really fair, and had this have been of a higher SPF I would have definitely used this! This product does sound very good though, and I may still give it a try as it's scientifically proven to protect four types of UV rays, and I'm now one to judge a product without at least giving it the benefit of the doubt and trying it. 

Emite Make Up - Full Size

RRP / £12.50

Shop / emitemakeup.com

The next products is a lovely lip and cheek tint by Emite make up. This is a two in one tint for both lips and cheeks, which I think is a great thing to throw in your handbag, there's nothing like a two in one product! 

Starskin - Full Size

RRP / £8.50

Shop / starskinbeauty.com

What's this? ANOTHER FULL SIZED PRODUCT! Here we have Eye Catcher, a smoothing Bio-Cellulose Eye Mask by Starskin. I'm yet to use this product, so I am unable to give my opinion on this products, but I must admit that I am excited to use this. Reading from the leaflet though, I know that this product is soaked in vitamin rich serum, they are super hydrating and are quick to reduce puffiness and dark circles. Dark circles are something that bothers me a lot, so knowing their claim to reduce this intrigues me into using this product soon.

Spa To You - Full Size.

RRP / £6.99

Shop / spatoyou.com

This months new discovery product is the Konjac Sponge by Spa To You. This is a very interesting product, upon opening this I was amazed by the sponge, and am really enjoying using this product. So this is the latest cleansing trend from Japan and Korea, they are made from the natural fibres of the konjac, which is a porous root vegetable. 

De Bruyere - Full Size

RRP / £9.48

Shop / Deruyere.fr

This is an After Sun Lotion by De Bruyere, and is another full sized product. This is another product that I am yet to use. This is for skin that feels a little sensitive after a day in the sun or to simply help prolong your summer tan. It's enriched with gardenia petals soaked in coconut oil, alongside vitamin E. 

Aussie Hair Care - Sachet 

RRP / £1. 09

Shop / aussiehair.com/hair

We also received a bonus product this month, which was a 3 minute miracle reconstructor deep conditioner. Now this is something I will definitely use as Aussie my hair brand of choice.

 I'm incredibly pleased with my first Glossybox, and really hope they continue to be as good, or better than the previous. I'll also continue to share the contents of my box with you here every month!

Are you subscribed to Glossbox?

Tell me what you thought of the June box!

Guilty Pleasures

Guilty Pleasures 

"I don't believe in guilty pleasures. If you enjoy something, there's nothing guilty about it."

Everyone has those little things in their life that fill them with absolute delight. These might be the things we believe to be our guilty pleasures, the things that we think others may see as strange.

My Guilty Pleasures:

• I REALLY do still enjoy Hannah Montana, I just can't stop listening to here or watching her movie! I just love, LOVE, LOOVVEE her!
• I haven't done this for a very long time, but the idea is always at the back of my mind...I use to always pour icing sugar mix into a cup, make the mixture and just sit and eat it, YUM!
• I adore baths, I know a lot of people like baths, but I could just lay in one for my entire life (providing it's always warm) and it would be perfect.
• Everyone knows that I LOVE movies, but I will watch ANYTHING, no matter how soppy, or how cheesy, I will probably still love it, and most likely still cry because I seem to cry at most movies.
• I completely hoard make up and beauty products to the point that I have far too much for onc person.
• I'm a gamer, but Minecraft is most certainly my guilty pleasure. I'll only play it on adventure mode and I will literally spend hours upon hours just building things. 

So what are your guilty pleasures? 

Beauty Products I'm loving in 2016

Hey my lovelies! As of lately I have been experimenting with various new beauty products, as well as those I have loved for awhile. In this post I'm looking forward to sharing these products with you! I have an incredibly wide variety of different products that I'm just ecstatic to share with you, and I look forward to hearing your opinions and about the products that you've been loving so  far in 2016!

Beauty Products I'm Loving in 2016

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

I had thought about trying cleansing water for awhile, mainly to just clear my face of make up. Since trying the product I would honestly never use anything else for this, it's perfect for cleansing your face and just making your skin look and feel perfect.

Rogue Love by Rihanna 

This is my absolute favourite perfume., the scent is the most divine scent that my nostrils have ever encountered, it's the perfect combination of everything that you could ever want in a perfume. The scent is so perfect, it smells floral, it reminds me of falling in love, it's just the most girly and loveliest smell ever. I highly recommend this perfume and I fully believe that I'm going to be in love with this scent for the longest time. 

Soap and Glory Mist you madly body spray 

This beautiful scent is just a lovely little mist spray that is absolutely perfect for everyday use. To be honest, you don't need to use a lot of this because the moment you spray that divine mist you're going to smell incredible, the best part is it lasts for AGES.

Maybelline New York's Baby skin lightweight primer

I never, ever wear make up without primer, and for a good few years now I've been switching up my primer every time I run out, mainly because I've been finding it difficult to find the best one for myself, for my skin, and I am so happy to finally say that I have found the one! The baby skin primer is just absolutely perfect, I cannot fault it one little bit, it erases my pores and makes the application of my make up absolutely glorious.

Max Factor Face Infinity 3 in 1 Foundation in Natural

I'm liking Max Factor foundations a lot lately, but this is the first time I've ever tried this specific one. The colour natural in this foundation is absolutely perfect for my skin tone. I always find it quite difficult to find a foundation that works for me, that does everything that I need it to. Covers my bags. Covers my overwhelming rosy cheeks. Evens my skin tone. Makes me feel confident. I have to be honest with you right now and say that Max Factor is doing an absolutely fantastic job with providing make up that does what I need it to do. Bravo!

Rimmel London lasting finish concealer in Ivory

This is a lovely little tube concealer that is incredibly perfect for getting rid of little blemishes and dark circles, whilst still looking natural. I've used various different concealers with various different applicators and I have to admit that just applying this concealer using my finger tip has given me a better result than any other concealer, ever!

Maybelline New York's Brow drama pomade crayon in Dark Blond

My hair has gotten darker over the years, whereas my eyebrows have just kind of stayed incredibly light, and I say, NO MORE! This crayon is perfect for doing what I want a brow crayon to do, and that is just to fill in my brows a touch and add a bit of a darker tone to them.

Rimmel London extra super lash mascara in Black

I've found this to be the best mascara for me, it actually makes my lashes look thicker and longer, which is definitely what I need. 

Maybelline New York's lasting drama eye pencil in black 

Everyone needs a good eyeliner, it's not usually too hard to find a good one to be honest. I just love how this one makes my eyes look, it's the perfect little eye pencil. 

Maybelline New York's master ink liquid eyeliner in Matte Black

I've just began doing my own liquid eyeliner, yes I'm still the the stage of repeatedly poking myself in the eye, but I never claimed to be an expert! This is the first liquid eye liners that I have used properly, and by properly I mean that I haven't gave up in the first 5 minutes. haha! I love how this looks when applied, I've found is so easy to apply, which is perfect for someone who's useless at applying it. 

Rimell London's Kate lipstick in Nude 48

This is my favourite lipstick! It's just a lovely, natural colour that reminds me of autumn and I have nothing else to say about it, it's just beautiful.

Maybelline New York's colour drama lip pencil in 520 Light it up 

I have ALWAYS used a red lipstick, it makes me feel like a million dollars,  but every time I try a new one I find that it's just too wet, they just never stay on my lips for more than a few hours, and I was completely fed up with redoing my lipstick ALL OF THE TIME!  This lip pencil or crayon, whichever you'd like to call it, is the best red lipstick that I have ever used. It's not wet, it doesn't stick to your partners face when you kiss them, and it actually stays on for the entire day!

What are your favourite beauty products at the moment? Share in the comments, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

xx

Inked up!

These days there are quite a lot of people whom are into the tattoo craze. Quite a lot of people have at least one, whether it is on show or hidden, and quite a lot of these people go back for more. There are still people who don’t like them, which is perfectly fine.

As someone who has always had a big love for tattoos and has recently just got my first one (many more to follow), I have noticed that for whatever the reason, people who dislike your tattoos insist on letting you know. I completely understand why people dislike tattoos and I have nothing against that, people are allowed their own opinions. At the end of the day not everyone is going to like your tattoo, the thing that bothers me is when people feel the need to treat a person differently or even insult them because of these choices.

I’ve found that as soon as you do decide to get a tattoo, people will start to look at you differently, especially if it’s very noticeable. People are going to dislike them and they are really going to let you know and it’s going to bring you down. I’ve never personally had someone come up to me making remarks on how much they dislike my tattoo, but I know people who have and I know it can really hurt. The looks are just as bad. Those people who are sat there staring at you, whispering under their breath, they are just as bad. I dislike people being mean to me in anyway, especially being such a sensitive person, so I often find behavior like this hard to deal with. The moment someone starts a conversation with you about how much they love and appreciate your tattoo is going to make all of these bad vibes disappear. From first hand experience I can tell you that someone really appreciating your tattoo can really make your entire day. At the end of the day, as long as you are happy with the way you look, why should anyone else’s opinion matter?

I’ve noticed a lot of older people really dislike tattoos, especially those who are mothers or even grandmothers. I guess they just really don’t like to see their children alter their bodies in such a permanent way, which I really understand. Parents believe they created something so perfect that something like this could ruin that creation. This isn’t true.

Tattoos are a way of presenting to everyone who you are as an individual. I don’t think that there is anything wrong with expressing your personality on your body, it’s a very personal thing and it should be respected whether you like them or not.

I think it’s a beautiful form of art. Some people do get tattoos for stupid reasons, maybe because they were drunk or for a bet, but that’s for them to deal with.

People with tattoos can be really fascinating, especially when finding out the stories behind their tattoos. Some people get their tattoo for no other reason than they wanted it, which is perfectly fine. If you want it go ahead and get it! It doesn’t affect anyone else and his or her opinions don’t matter one bit. If it doesn’t affect you personally then I don’t see how what tattoos some has or the reasons behind them affects you.

 People with tattoo's can be really fascinating; the stories behind them and the meaning of the tattoo can be really interesting to hear. Some people just get them because they want them, is there really anything wrong with that? If it doesn't affect you personally then I don't see how it's such a big problem. 

Once you decide to take the plunge and get a tattoo you will find it very hard to not go back and get another. I’ve noticed a lot of people who have had one have been itching for their next. It’s an addiction. It’s not the end of the world, surely being addicted to tattoos is better than being addicted to drugs or any other self destructive substance, so take that into consideration.

 I would insist that if you are not sure about getting a tattoo then you shouldn’t do it. Removing one is very expensive and it’s just a whole lot of wasted money in the end. Ever since I was 16 I couldn’t wait for my first tattoo…that was until I turned 18 and realised I probably wasn’t mature enough to decide what I wanted, because it’s a big decision and should never be taken lightly. I’m glad I did wait because the tattoos I would have got then I would not have wanted now; I’d have regretted them on a huge scale. Tattoos are going to change your life, you’re going to get people who love them and people who hate them, there’s nothing you can do about that. I’m so happy I finally decided to get my first tattoo; I can’t wait to add more to my body.

I can’t wait to express myself with who I am and what I love, it’s going to be an exciting journey.

xo